Philip Aroko’s recent hint at forming an alliance ahead of the Kasipul Kabondo by-election is more than just political posturing; it’s a strategic masterstroke designed to dismantle the advantage of his main rival—the son of the late MP Ong’ondo Were. In the high-stakes game of by-elections, where voter turnout is often lower and every vote counts, consolidation is key.
Aroko’s playbook is simple yet effective: recognize that a single candidate may not muster enough votes to overcome the name recognition and sympathy vote of the Were family, but a united front of previously competing aspirants can. By bringing other contenders into a coalition, he does two things: firstly, he pools their individual voter bases into a single, formidable bloc. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, he prevents the anti-Were vote from being split among multiple candidates, which would virtually guarantee a win for the dynasty heir.
This move elevates the by-election from a simple popularity contest to a strategic battle. It demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of Kenyan electoral mathematics and poses a serious, structured threat to the political inheritance that many had assumed was inevitable in Kasipul Kabondo.
